I suppose the "best" lever gun and hunting cartridge combo might be a Winchester Md. 88 in .308 Win or .358 Win OR a Savage Md. 99 or Sako Finnwolf in .308 but none of them are inexpensive or easily found anymore.
.357 Mag / 38 Special
.44 Mag / 44 Special
45 Colt
.454 Casull
444 Marlin
45-70
44-40
450 Marlin
30-30
35 Remington
I suppose the "best" lever gun and hunting cartridge combo might be a Winchester Md. 88 in .308 Win or .358 Win OR a Savage Md. 99 or Sako Finnwolf in .308 but none of them are inexpensive or easily found anymore.
I went with 30-30 partially because it is my do it all gun here in Nebraska. Once in a while I wish I had a 45-70 then I remember where I live. I load up 100 grain LRNHP for squirrel and rabbit and 150 grain LWNHP for the small whitetails here. Never lets me down out to 150 yards. And is always a pleasure to shoot. May have to add a scope soon as the eyes are not what they used to be. For now the skinner peeps on my 76 vintage 336 in 30-30 do all I need it to do. Great poll by the way.
I have a 308 and a 45.70 love them both
I think I would have to narrow it down to the .45-70
No .358 Winchester on that list, just 35 Remington??? Talk about an oversight!
I will reject anything that forces a tubular magazine on me. Magazine fed, please. Along with the ridiculous idea that if it's a lever action, it's can only be good for close range bush work.
For all their mechanical idiosyncrisies, a BLR in .358 Winchester will do just fine - one lives here right now and does in fact do just fine with everything from swaged pistol bullets, cast rifle, to Barnes TTSX that are more than capable of reaching out to 300 yards with reasonable trajectories if that were ever necessary.
Or if I really wanted to get a wild hair up my butt, one of Brownings recent Model 95 releases in 30/06... rebarreled in 35 Whelan... The 100+ year old one that also lives here in 30 U.S. also does fine, despite it's advanced age. That one will never be altered in any way.
Last edited by MOC031; 12-20-2020 at 02:19 PM.
I just picked up a Henry .308 Long Ranger because they don't make a .358 Win. My son has a Savage 99 in .308 that I like really well.
I know this adds cost on top of expense, but call up JES and see if he will rebore that Long Ranger for you.
I was looking hard at doing this until my wife came home with a Fathers Day gift of a 358 Win BLR for me....
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Any questions.......http://http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?293211-Bubba-w-a-45-70-is-a-bonafied-straight-shooter
Or here....http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t-shooter-too!
For me it came down to 357 mag or 30-30 but settled on 357 because of one I love the cartridge for its versatility and two easier to reload and acquire ammo.
Well, my answer is not a given choice. I would make it a .22 LR so I could small game hunt with it and use my old 870 shotgun for bigger critters and game birds. I am happy to have choices for my 6 lever rifles.
prs
If I could have only ONE lever-action I would have to choose the good old .30-30.
I can tailor a load for it to shoot anything I am ever likely to shoot at.
If I could have only one.
Chance favors the prepared mind.
For over 30 years I sure have enjoyed my winchester 94 in 30-30. But right now my Browning BLR in 300 WSM is shining brighter than the rest. It is very versatile.
Wes
I'd have to go with the 44 Mag ... my little 1894P (ported) Trapper/Guide gun. But I think it all has a lot to do with what region of the country you live-in and your own personal preferences.
For me my 44 mag (and I own a lot of leverguns in just about all offered calibers) is the most versatile, holds plenty of ammo, is easy to reload-for and it is handy size-wize with the 16" barrel.
I can load it up or down, it loves cast boolits, it's pie plate accurate out to 100 yards and it is slicker than owl poop to run.
I've taken plenty of pigs and whitetails with it using cast boolits and JSP white box fair.
It is easy to pack and sling, it's quick to sight with the skinners and the porting makes it incredibly stable to get back on target for a fast follow-up shot if necessary ... which has only been necessary one time on a pig that I rump shot on the move.
I've got a Lee (hand) Loader that I can reload with in a pinch given available components (although I have never fathomed the need in reality) which helps to make my 1894P probably my favorite levegun out of all of them I own with the possible exception of my 338 MXLR.
What you think about you do ... what you do, you become.
I have to agree with Airborne above, for where I live and play, and for something my wife can also handle, I always come back to the 357/38 Lever. A 16” M92 in 44Special is a very close second. For myself, the 30WCF is the classic Lever round. I’d really enjoy a Marlin 45-70. The Win BB 94 in 356Winchester is a favorite. And all the older Levers where you have to cast & load your own ammo.
But I don’t want to give up any of my Levers, and I want more. Lots of choices.
John
Winchester ‘92s & 94s
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Trick question... what is the intended purpose for the rifle? The answer makes a big difference in cartridge choice.
73’s DE
Matthew
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As a reloader they would all work.
my favorite is a 1895 marlin in 40-65 followed by a 40-82
45-70 is agreat shell & easy to get
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |